d them here, as this is one of their
old trails and watering places. We kept guard night and day. But they
crossed into New Mexico, to the north of us."

The old roaming ground of the Chiricahuas was Southern Arizona. For
many years they defied all attempts to subdue them. Their famous
chief, Cochise, refused to make any treaty or even to parley with the
representatives of the Government.

In 1873, under Grant's "peace policy," General O. O. Howard was sent
to Arizona and New Mexico to make treaties with such of the Indians
as could be reached. After he had visited many other tribes,
including several of the Apache family, and located them peaceably,
he determined to make one earnest effort to meet Cochise. The
experience of twenty years proved that it would be vain to try to
capture him. One white man was found, a scout and interpreter, known
as Captain Jefferds, who spoke Apache and who was regarded by Cochise
as a friend. He consented to try and bring about a parley with
Cochise, but declared no troops must be near. General Howard took one
aide-de-camp, and with Jefferds and two friendly Apaches, rode for
two days until they came near the stronghold. Jefferds then sent
forward the two Indians with a message. They went cautiously,
kindling fires from point to point, and receiving answering signals.
The next day one of them returned, bringing word that Cochise would
see the General and his party, and that the messenger was to guide
them to a designated place of meeting. Cochise was not there on the
arrival of the party, but some of his head men appeared soon after,
had a talk with Jefferds and were introduced to the General, all
showing signs of a marked impression, from the fact that the General
had lost his right arm and carried no weapons. His Apache name was
ever afterwards the "The One-Armed Chief." Some of the Chiricahuas
then mounted and rode away, and not long after a body of Indians came
galloping up. A powerfully-built man, fully armed with rifle,
revolvers and knife, dismounted and first took Jefferds by the hand,
and then turned and frankly greeted the General. The details of that
interview, of the stay of the treaty-party in the stronghold as
Cochise's guests, for two days; their experience the first night,
when they were awakened in the middle of the night and the entire
camp was moved to a still more inaccessible natural fortification,
far up in the mountains, owing to an apprehended attack from a
mil